A Whovian Christmas
by Uncle Charlie
Summary: What could be better than being home for the holidays. Written for the 12 Fics of Christmas 2017


They tumbled in through the door of the TARDIS, just as the soldiers were closing ranks on them. The Doctor turned the lock, just to be on the safe side.

"What say we get out of here?" Jack Harkness watched the door fearfully. Even though he was immortal, it didn't mean he enjoyed the whole dying process.

The Doctor nodded. "Rose, I need you over here." He made sure she was well away from Jack. Whether the man realized it, it wasn't for certain.

"What can I do?" Jack asked, watching as the Doctor spun and twisted dials

"Hold on."

The TARDIS leapt in movement and then abruptly came to a crashing halt.

"Doctor?"

The Doctor's brow was knitted with confusion. "Stay back."

He cautiously opened the door. Nothing but an empty courtyard, dusted with snow greeted him. An aurora borealis painted the sky with unearthly color.

"Coast clear?" Jack asked and the Doctor jumped slightly.

"I thought I told you to stay back."

"Possibly." Jack pushed past him and looked around, his hands on his hips. "Any idea where we are?"

"I do," Rose squealed and hugged The Doctor. "We're home."

"Home?" Jack exchanged looks with The Doctor, who grinned.

"I thought you might like to see your mother."

"Her moth… Jackie?" Jack's face paled. "No, no, no, she scares me."

"Aw, c'mon, Jack, she's not that bad.

"Are you kidding? She scares me."

"I knew she couldn't be all bad." The Doctor buttoned his long jacket against the bitterly cold London wind and followed as Rose gestured wildly.

She danced like a little girl, running ahead and then back to them, hurrying them along. She raced up the stairs and used her key to open the door. "Mum! MUM!"

Nothing answered her back and she looked around. There was an artificial tree in the corner, the angel on the top bending just a bit to one side. She smiled at that memory.

"Is it safe?"

"Yeah, she's not here." Rose knelt to read the packages. Most of the names were familiar, although a couple were unknown to her. "Guess she's gone visiting or something."

"Excellent, so we can make good our escape." Jack looked around the flat and nodded. "You came from humble surroundings."

"Hey!"

The Doctor smiled at the two as they squabbled. He looked out at the TARDIS, wondering why she had brought them here. There was no sign of any trouble, at least not yet.

"Why don't you make yourself at home?" Rose pointed to a couch and Jack made a noise. She looked back and realized he was holding up a pair of her mother's thong underwear. "Not that at home." She snatched the underwear from him and stuffed it into the pocket of her jacket.

The Doctor took off his jacket and patted down the pockets of his suit. There were gifts to go under the tree, but not just yet.

Jack dropped onto the couch and studied the tree. "Nice." The Doctor followed, his eyes never leaving Rose.

"You never had one chase you." Rose opened a bottle of wine, a gift to her mother, probably, and poured some into a glass. She tasted it and nodded. She filled three glasses and carried two to her guests.

"A Christmas tree?"

"First Christmas with this joker." She slapped him on the leg and he shifted to permit her some space on the couch

"Aw," the Doctor made a disparaging noise in his throat as he took the glass she offered him. He didn't drink much as a rule, but it was Christmas Eve, after all. He sipped, made a face and sipped again. "Not bad."

"You're joking…" Jack drained his glass and regarded it solemnly as if it would refill itself by magic.

"Nope. Went berserk right in the living room. If he…" She gave the Doctor's leg a playful slap. "… hadn't woken up and stopped it… there's more over there if you want it." She pointed and Jack was on his feet in an instant, carrying back the bottle and another one at the same time.

"Sleeping? I didn't think you slept."

"I was regenerating at the time. Even a time Lord needs to sleep at some point." The Doctor murmured. "And that was our second Christmas together."

"Second?" Rose brow furrowed and she nestled down against the Doctor and he smiled happily at her closeness. The fact that Jack was on his other side, equally comfortable was never you mind

"First one I took you to meet –"

Rose sat bolt upright, nearly spilling her drink. She compensated by finishing it. Jack poured her another and topped off The Doctor's. "Charles Dickens! I remember now!"

"What?" Jack was amazed. "You've met Dickens? On Christmas?"

"And his ghosts." She shivered. "Although they were more zombies than ghosts. Poor Gwyneth."

"Who?" The Doctor cocked his head as he tried to place the name. So many people, so many places.

"The chamber maid. It was when the riff was opened in Cardiff for the first time. The Gelf..."

"Fancy you remembering all of that."

She smiled and looked down at her hands, cheeks flaming red. "Not much about you I don't remember, Doctor."

"Oh, you two get a room!"

"Come on, Jack didn't you ever have a special Christmas?"

Jack grinned, then his expression softened. "Well, there was a time with John..."

"John?" The Doctor finished his glass of wine and stared at it. "I thought it was you and Ianto."

"This was a lifetime ago." Jack's eyes closed and his lips curled as he sighed. "The man was a danger to society, but he was a great kisser. He could do things with his tongue that should be against the law. This one Christmas, he got me under the tree and -"

Rose struggled to pull a hand free and clamp it over one ear. "Ewww, I'm too young to hear this."

"You were the one who asked." Glasses were refilled. "What about you, Doctor?"

He made a dismissive noise in his throat. "Christmas and I don't tend to see eye-to-eye on many things. It's not my holiday."

"It could be." Rose bounced up and went to the tree. She dug through gifts and then pulled two free. She offered one to each man. "These are for you."

Jack laughed and plunged into his gift with childlike glee. The Doctor just watched him and smiled. Jack pulled out a long colorful scarf. "Did you make this?" He wound it about his neck sand beamed. "How do I look?"

"Great! I did. I have a lot of free time when he's having a moment with the TARDIS."

The Doctor undid his and looked at the scarf. "This reminds me of days long past, six lifetimes ago." He held it up and admired the knitting. "This is lovely, Rose. I can't remember when I had a better gift."

"This calls for a drink." Jack got back to his feet and started poking through Jackie's liquor cabinet. "Where does your mother keep the good stuff?"

"She drinks it." Rose pointed. "Try that cabinet over there."

"Success!" He pulled out two bottle of single malt whiskey.

"Now, Doctor, tell me about your first Christmas."

"What you mean the one with Jesus?"

"You weren't!" Rose's mouth dropped open.

He grinned. "Three wise men, remember." He made a clicking noise with his tongue and laughed.

Jackie had felt the weight of the world on her shoulders before she turned the corner to their block of flats and saw the TARDIS. A surge of energy raced through her and she bounded up the stairs.

All that greeted her was an empty living room strewed with several likewise empty liquor bottles. "Rose?" she called softly and a moment later, her daughter came padding out of her bedroom.

"Hi, Mum. Happy Christmas," she spoke softly, mostly because of her hangover. "We had a bit of a party last night. We'll restock everything."

"We? Is he here?" She looked in the direction of Rose's bedroom and Rose patted her shoulder. "No, your room, but you might want to burn the sheets."

"Why's that?"

"Jack's in there, too."

"That… that!"

"Yup, in the flesh. So how about I get a shower and help you with Christmas dinner?"

"It has to be Christmas for me to put up with those two around my table." Jackie hugged her daughter tight, then released her. "But you are here and nothing else matters." She went to the kitchen and started making coffee. "Mickey is coming over a bit later."

"Good, it'll be nice to see him again." Rose came up behind her mother and hugged her again. "Mum, what was your favorite Christmas?"

"Favorite?" Jackie smiled as she went through the familiar process.

"We were talking last night about ours. What was yours?"

"I'm our mother and you have to ask? Everyone that I've spent with you in my life."

"That's a brilliant answer." The Doctor was standing there, looking a bit bleary eyed. "Me, too."

"Aw." Rose ran to him and hugged him. He swayed in place. "Maybe I should let you shower first."

"I'm just going to nip into the TARDIS for a change of clothes." He pointed to the door and Rose blocked him.

"No way. You've tried that one before." She crossed her arms. "I'll do it."

"Me, too?" Jack appeared wearing nothing but a sheet and a hopeful expression. "I can't seem to find any of mine."

"Oh, lord," Jackie muttered. "At least we'll give the neighbors plenty to talk about." Inside, though she was laughing. Her little family, such as it was, was home and at Christmas, that was the best gift of all.


End file.
